Built-up post for wire baskets and the like



Feb. 1, 1949- w. OBERNAUER ET AL ,5

BUILT-UP POST FOR WIRE BASKETS AND THE LIKE Filed 001;. l6,' 1947 v INVENTOR. William obernauer and Max Sdwster Patented Feb. 1, 1949 ES PATENT OFFICE BUILT-UP POST FOR WIRE BASKETS AND THE LIKE William Obernaucr and Max Schuster, New York, N. Y.

Application October 16, 1947, Serial No. 780,270

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to improvements in spacing and connecting means for wire baskets which are placed one above the other in spaced relation to one another or for other receptacles suchas are used for papers, tools, and merchandise in offices, ,stores, shops and the like. More specifically, the present invention relates to a new and improved built-up post for wire baskets and the like.

One object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described which greatly facilitates a sturdy, safe detachable connection of wire baskets or the like one above the other in spaced relation to one another, so that they constitute a strong vertical structure that can be moved about without loosening or separation of the baskets from one another.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described which is light in weight and simple in construction and use, each post consisting of only one wire or of a thin rod which is bent and shaped in the manner described hereinafter, thus making it possible to manufacture and sell these built-up posts at a very reasonable price.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the character described which can be used in a very simple manner for connecting wire baskets or the like to one another and which requires neither tools nor the application of any considerable amount of skill for attaching said baskets to each other or for detaching them from one another.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred forms of the invention have been shown.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of our invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same;

v r 2 means of our new and improved built-up posts.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing the numeral I denotes a customary wire basket having a rim 2 and a wire body 3 and forming no part of our present invention.

Our present invention relates only to the builtup posts 4, each of which consists of one wire or of a longitudinal thin rod of steel or other metal, or of plastic material or the like. Said thin rod is bent at its half way point to form a slightly downwardly inclined V whose shanks 5 and 6 constitute the beginning of two identical sections of said rod. At the extremities of the shanks 5 and 6, said rod sections are bent laterally to a point where they are bent downwardly and partially back so as to form a pair of horizontally opposing loops 1 and 8. The inner lower extremities of the loops 1 and 8 are bent at 9 downwardly to the points I0. Between the points 9 and III are the straight downwardly diverging main portions II of the post which are longer than each basket I is deep. At the points I0 Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a wire basket with four built-up posts attached to its corner sections; and r Fig. 5 is a fractional front elevation of a stack of wire baskets connected to one another by both sections of said thin rod are bent at substantially right angles rearwardly to the point I2, from whence the extremities of said thin rod are light to form a pair of horizontally opposing hooks For connecting wire baskets I to one another, one built-up post 4 is required for each corner of each basket I. One built-up post 4 after another is inserted with its loops I and 8 into a corner of the rim 2 of the upper basket I in the manner indicated in dash-and-dotted lines in Fig. 5. Then it is swung toward the next lower basket I, so that the hooks I4 engage the rim 2 of said last mentioned basket. Thereby the main portions II are slightly spread apart, so that the hooks I4 will grasp the rim 2 beyond the second cross wire 3. When then the post is released in the position shown in full lines in Figs. 4 and 5, the resiliency of the thin rod will force the main portions II (and the hooks I4) toward one another, and the hooks I4 will firmly engage the rim 2 of the lower basket I, while the downwardly inclined V formed by the half way portion of the thin rod (shanks 5 and 6) 'rests against the inner side of the corner of the rim 2 of the upper basket I. In this way, after all the built-up posts 4 have been inserted, a sturdy connection of the upper basket I to the lower basket I is formed.

With our new and improved built-up post 4 two, three (as in the instance shown) or more baskets I can be connected to one another and kept in spaced relation to one another.

Since certain'changes may be made in the above article and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it .is intended that all matter contained in -the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claim is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which as a matter of language might be said to fall therebetween. 7

Having thus fully described -'0ur said invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A device of the character described comprising a "longitudinal thin rod which at its half way point is bent horizontally to form a V whose shanks constitute the beginning of two identical sections of said rod and are bent at their extremities laterally to a point from whence they are bent downwardly and partially back to form two horizontally opposing loops, the lower end portions of the loop forming parts of said sections being bent downwardly to form the vertical downwardly diverging main portions of an upright post, at the lower end of said main portions both sections of the thin rod being bent rectangularly horizontally in the same plane, and the as described.

WILLIAM OBERNAUER. IMAX SCHUSTER.

REFERENCES CITED The vfollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 994,984 Dennis June 1-3, I'Qll' 1,386,873 Lamp Aug. -'9, 1921 2,228,787 Synder Jan. 14, 1941 

